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03.14.22 TAB MinutesTAB Minutes March 14, 2022 Page 1 of 4 CITY OF BOULDER BOULDER, COLORADO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS MEETING MINUTES Name of Board/ Commission: Transportation Advisory Board (TAB) Date of Meeting: March 14, 2022 Contact Information Preparing Summary: Meredith Schleske 303.441.3204 Board Members Present: Tila Duhaime, Chair; Alex Weinheimer; Ryan Schuchard; Robert Hutchinson Staff Present: Erika Vandenbrande, Director for Transportation and Mobility Valerie Watson, Transportation Planning Manager Gerrit Slatter, Principal Transportation Projects Engineer Devin Joslin, Transportation Engineering Senior Manager Mike Sweeney, Transportation Engineer Senior Project Manager Mike Koslow, Transportation Engineer Senior Project Manager Veronica Son, Transportation Engineer Jean Sanson, Transportation Principal Planner Chris Hagelin, Transportation Principal Planner Danny O’Connor, Principal Transportation Planner, Transit Program Manager David “DK” Kemp, Transportation Senior Planner Gastonia Anderson, Budget Senior Analyst Kathleen King, City Principal Planner Jean Gatza, City Principal Planner Charles Ferro, Planning Senior Manager Meredith Schleske, Board Secretary Type of Meeting: Advisory/ Regular Agenda Item 1: Call to Order [6:00 p.m.] Instructions to Virtual Meeting Participants (not an agenda item) – Allison Moore-Farrell, technical host reviewed rules and technical operations on the virtual platform. Agenda Item 2: Approval of February 2022 Minutes [6:05 p.m.] Motion: Approval of February 2022 Minutes as presented. Motion: Hutchinson Second: Duhaime 4:0 Motion Passes. Agenda Item 3: Celebration of Service on TAB [6:10 p.m.] Tila Duhaime and Erika Vandenbrande extended appreciation. It was noted that Mark McIntyre resigned before this meeting due to his appointment to Planning Board (PB) and to enable City Council to appoint his replacement to TAB. A.“Hutch” Hutchinson, April 2020 – March 2022 •Duhaime recalled walk/talk to discuss interest, appreciates more global perspective, leadership in dealing with pandemic street closures and other accommodations. •Vandenbrande expressed thanks for service to community, TAB and staff; for global perspective; graciousness; hope to meet in person. •Schuchard appreciated big picture thinking in gentle constructive ways. •Hutchinson encouraged intentionality to not get lost in weeds, appreciated Weinheimer’s pattern recognition approach, continue to keep looking beyond Boulder, will take quick sabbatical and reengage in some manner in future. B.Mark McIntyre, April 2018 – February 2022 •McIntyre emailed gratitude to TAB members in advance. •Schuchard told McIntyre he looks forward to working with him on PB. •Vandenbrande appreciated help to lead charge for community-focused goals for transportation master plan (TMP), leadership. •Duhaime emphasized importance of McIntyre’s parting comments regarding importance of snow removal in bike and pedestrian areas, keep TMP top of mind, be bold and get stuff done. TAB Minutes March 14, 2022 Page 2 of 4 Agenda Item 4: Public Comment [6:15 p.m.] • Lynn Segal – must be the most regressive city in the U.S. to still not have video windows after two years, had a video window at the Capitol. Will keep on commenting until accomplished. When are we going to find out what happened with the Whittier Place fire? It’s just going to be a burned-out shell for years, have to ride on opposite side of street. Needs to be combination of PB and TAB and East Boulder Working Group. Minority groups don’t want to be stuck in industrial area, they want nice neighborhoods. It’s just an excuse to pack more people into Boulder. For the Marshall fire it’s not green building that is expensive, it’s demand for housing here. TAB needs to take a stand, speak out against CU South. Berkeley had lawsuit against developer for cap on student population, Boulder needs to do that. TAB Comment – in-person board meetings are returning. • Amanda Mansfield – new senior manager of transportation at Boulder Transportation Connections, looking forward to working with TAB. • Nicole Speer, City Council member – thank you for being here on another virtual meeting, looking forward to in-person. Thanks especially to Hutchinson and McIntyre, looking forward to McIntyre’s perspective on PB. Agenda Item 5: Staff briefing and TAB feedback regarding East Boulder Subcommunity Draft Plan [6:21 p.m.] Kathleen King and Jean Sanson made the report to the board. Executive Summary In January 2019 City Council identified East Boulder as the first subcommunity since North Boulder to go through a planning process as part of a re-established subcommunity planning program. The East Boulder subcommunity encompasses approximately 1,600 acres, generally located east of Foothills Parkway and north of Arapahoe Avenue. The two- and half-year planning process is now in the final phase of the scope of work, Plan Documentation and Adoption. The Draft East Boulder Subcommunity Plan (EBSP) is available for community review and feedback. Transportation Advisory Board (TAB) feedback on the draft plan will inform final updates to the draft plan and be shared with Planning Board and City Council, the two bodies responsible for adoption. Questions for TAB 1. Does the Transportation Advisory Board support the Connections Plan and Access and Mobility Recommendations included in the East Boulder Subcommunity Plan and 55th and Arapahoe Station Area Plan? 2. Does TAB have feedback to further refine recommendations in the East Boulder Subcommunity Plan or the 55th and Arapahoe Station Area Plan? TAB Clarifying Questions • Question regarding annexations, especially San Lazaro Mobile Home Park and if it is a complex annexation. • Inquiry about regional trail connections noted as potential soft surface connections, comment that soft surfaces are not ideal for wheeled transportation – slower, difficult to clear after adverse weather, become muddy. Especially interested in Airport Road and Erie connections and why they are potential soft surface trails. • Comment that guiding principles including vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and climate are not mentioned, encouragement to include as a new model. • Question about new definitions for mixed land use and whether they are new and part of the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan (BVCP), concern about goal of 15-minute neighborhood – should be less than 10 minutes in transit-oriented development (TOD) area. TAB Feedback • Observation of no mention of Vision Zero; safety should be foremost. Appreciation for protected bike lanes but rendering does not look like best practice, use buffers instead of paint and flexible posts, more inspirational design such as curb or even back of curb facility with tree and landscaping buffer. Comment that 55th Street and Arapahoe intersection with lots of colors and mobility devices is difficult for cyclists, consider protected treatments that not only provide devices, but safe infrastructure as well. Need for transportation upgrades on Valmont including protected bike lanes – north arterial for EBSP, overlap with transit village plan, important connections to parks and east trails. • Surprise that key TMP areas like mode-shifting and VMT still are not articulated up front – they are what will drive change. Take a stand, otherwise great work. • Comment that if bus rapid transit (BRT) is a real service along Arapahoe, a BRT station well-designed to flow people in and out of the area would make all the difference. Plan could include criteria for what a really good BRT station is versus the types of things along US 36. Should be convenient for people, not just buses, potential to be a significant center, driven to a great degree by the BRT access. • Reminder that TAB discussed making 55th Street less of a barrier – doesn’t seem more permeable, especially for vulnerable user. The Station Area Master Plan (STAMP) shows mix of on-street bike lanes and multi-use paths that don’t connect, caution not to make 55th Street more of a highway. Questions about why a path is TAB Minutes March 14, 2022 Page 3 of 4 selected versus vertically separated facility or shared street, reason for multiple facilities in a small area, when is next opportunity to examine plans in detail. Agenda Item 6: Matters [6:59 p.m.] A. Matters from Staff/Non-Agenda 1. Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) (Sanson) – noted that Nicole Speer is our representative on the DRCOG board. We try to identify projects that are good candidates for grant funding within DRCOG categories plus advance City of Boulder TMP goals. The second subregional call is in May/June; fourth call in December/January. • 30th Street Preliminary Design (Colorado highway 7 [CO7]/Arapahoe CO119) – huge potential to address safety. • CO93/Broadway & Table Mesa and CO93/Broadway & Regent – transit improvements to improve rider time. • US36/28th Street West Side Multi-Use Path (Four Mile Canyon Creek bridge under Broadway) - highest incidence of bike fatalities. • Baseline Enhanced Transit Stops & Protected Bike Lanes – staff still needs to score against other projects; expects, if successful, will supplement Pavement Management Program (PMP) for more permanent features. • West Colorado Avenue Multimodal Improvements (Regent to Folsom) • CO7/Arapahoe Avenue & 30th Street Multimodal Intersection – state highway, coordinate with Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT). Request could be decreased by state funds that we should have more information about later this year. • CO7/Arapahoe Avenue Bridge Replacement over Boulder Creek (south side) – deficient structure. TAB Feedback • Comment that it is important to note many 2030 goals versus number of remaining TIP cycles and dollars available, may be more effective to go for more lower-cost projects than a single large grant, concern regarding Arapahoe & 30th Street estimates, current proposal does not seem to benefit transit and cycling but preserve current auto capacity. Massive opportunity to create livable streets in a destination-rich area with connections to grocery, retail, Goose Creek, Boulder Creek, connect with regional transit corridors, reduce GHG and VMT. Recognize that we may not be investing in our top goals, it might just be preservation of the things that haven't been working. Try to do the most good. • Encouragement to focus on VMT reduction, identify how project fits into that goal, start to identify real impact, how much comes from interstate transit, see more logic. Good detail ideas. • 30th Street Preliminary Design (CO7/Arapahoe CO119) - concern regarding cost estimates, current proposal does not seem to benefit transit and cycling but to preserve current auto capacity. Could save by reducing right-of-way need for left turn lanes from two to one, philosophical difference with staff expressed regarding greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions that could take place on 30th Street, inquiry regarding a roundabout at 30th and Folsom. • CO7/Arapahoe Avenue & 30th Street Multimodal Intersection - question about why an expensive intersection is important, ensure that it makes connections, recommendation to eliminate second left-turn lane because it’s too wide for pedestrian crossing. • CO93/Broadway & Table Mesa – inquiry why cost is high, question if markings and signage could be used. • CO7/Arapahoe Avenue Bridge Replacement over Boulder Creek (south side) – request for clarity on bridge proposal and why TIP funds would be directed towards an existing infrastructure in light of infrastructure bills proposed in Congress, concern about replacing a deficient car facility. Staff noted responsibility to avoid loss of property and life/safety issue, 80+ years old, appreciation expressed for perspective, question if there is a less expensive way to provide visibility/safety for vulnerable users, inquiry about life expectancy, potential to widen bike lane. • CO7/Arapahoe Avenue & 30th Street Multimodal Intersection – opinion expressed that it seems expensive, least desirable project to submit. • US36/28th Street West Side Multi-Use Path (Four Mile Canyon Creek bridge under Broadway) - seemed cost effective at the time but did not know then about some crashes, question about types of crashes in that area. Neighborhoods are not permeable, focus on streets more integral to neighborhood. TAB Minutes March 14, 2022 Page 4 of 4 •CO93/Broadway & Regent – suggestion to use protected bus lane, hold traffic via timing for bus to pull out first, would like to see strategic use. •Comment regarding University of Colorado’s desire for signal at 35th Street and Baseline to maneuver busses from dormitories. B. Matters from the Board [7:42 p.m.] 1.TAB Retreat Date April 25 6-10 PM, virtual. Agenda: Comments include focus on greater strategic logic, TAB members should identify top five priorities, important opportunity for TAB to set priorities, note that they must have some relationship to staff workplan, would be great to have alignment including core arterial network (CAN), consider capacity. City Council also desires board and commissions to include diversity and inclusion. Duhaime and Weinheimer will reach out to new members for input. 2.Open Board Comment •Weinheimer – Boulder B-Cycle reached one millionth trip, ridership almost doubled last year, starting to look at how to expand on CU campus. 30th Street and Baseline are corridors that students need to travel along, opportunity to coordinate expansion of shared mobile mobility device network with the protected bike lane network. •Schuchard – met with Craig Towler with Center for People with Disabilities (CPWD), eager to talk about snow and ice maintenance, be involved in TAB discussion, Schuchard happy to facilitate. Acknowledge that staff are already in communication with Craig Towler but would be good to enhance that relationship. It’s important. Email today regarding beg button at Iris and Broadway intersection - would city ever consider making that crossing default to the pedestrians instead of the cars? Encourage staff to consider her request, what are options and factors? Should be transparent, might be good TAB agenda item. •Comment that previous director captured signals practices at TAB request, noted irony that wheelchair exercise for people to discover how difficult it is to get around in a wheelchair was held inside during snowstorm, which is the whole problem. •Duhaime – two items that went through PB but not to TAB - transit village area plan and fire station planning that included a cross section of 30th Street and Bluff Street. Why not? Noted that PB has quasi-judicial role, TAB role is advisory. Comment that it could be flagged to TAB members’ attention, must consider that development review has legalistic implications/considerations, consultative role versus advisory. Agenda Item 7: Future Agenda Items [8:09 p.m.] Request for Boulder Police Department update regarding crashes. Agenda Item 8: Adjournment [8:10 p.m.] There being no further business to come before the board at this time, by motion regularly adopted, the meeting was adjourned at 8:10 p.m. Motion: Moved to adjourn: Hutchinson Second: Schuchard Motion passes 5:0 Date, Time, and Location of Next Meeting: The next meeting will be a regular virtual meeting on Monday, April 11, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. unless otherwise decided by staff and the Board. APPROVED BY: ATTESTED: ___________________________________ ____________________________________ Board Chair Board Secretary ___________________________________ ____________________________________ Date Date An audio recording of the full meeting for which these minutes are a summary is available on the Transportation Advisory Board web page. Tila Duhaime per attached email Meredith Schleske 4/22/2002 4/22/2002 From:Tila Duhaime To:Schleske, Meredith Subject:Re: FOR YOUR REVIEW: Draft March TAB minutes Date:Thursday, April 21, 2022 9:48:41 PM Thank you, Meredith. The minutes are approved. Fond regards, Tila On Thu, Apr 14, 2022 at 9:58 AM Schleske, Meredith <SchleskeM@bouldercolorado.gov> wrote: And back atcha! I believe that as the presiding official for both the March meeting and April approval of revised March minutes, your signature should accompany the final minutes. Are you thrilled to do so for a final time? ; ) Thanks, Meredith From: Tila Duhaime <tilabouldertab@gmail.com> Sent: Monday, April 11, 2022 10:10 AM To: Schleske, Meredith <SchleskeM@bouldercolorado.gov> Subject: Re: FOR YOUR REVIEW: Draft March TAB minutes External Sender Hi Meredith, Better late than never, a few minor corrections on the minutes. Middle of page 2, the acronym TOD stands for transit-oriented development, not transportation on demand. A few lines below that, Alex talks about "back of curb" facilities, not "backup curb" facilities. (This has been in the past written as "backup curve" too: just something to keep an eye/ear out for.) Page three, third bullet point from the bottom. The word used was "deficient" not "insufficient" Tila On Mon, Apr 4, 2022 at 7:40 PM Schleske, Meredith <SchleskeM@bouldercolorado.gov> wrote: Hi Tila & Alex, Attached are the draft TAB minutes for the March meeting. Please let me know of any edits/corrections – I’ll post them on the website before the April meeting. Thanks for your time, Meredith Meredith Schleske Administrative Specialist O: 303.441.3204 schleskem@bouldercolorado.gov Department of Public Works Business Services Division 1739 Broadway, Boulder 80302